EP 1 452 825 A 1 discloses a method for programming the breakup of projectiles. The detonation takes place while maintaining the optimum height with respect to the target, and at the breakup location.
The article “Zukunftsvision—Das Heckler & Koch OICW”, Soldat and Technik [“The future vision—The Heckler & Koch OICW”, German magazine Soldier and Technology], November 2001, pages 34-39 states that, in the “Burst Mode”, the target is first of all assessed for direct flying, and the aiming device is corrected such that, when the soldier is aiming at the target, the shell has its flight path one meter above the target. The shell is then caused to detonate precisely at this point, by programming the shell with the range.
Known explosive projectiles normally have forged projectile casings which break up into a large number of small and less large fragments on detonation. The fragment distribution can be influenced by the treatment of the steel and by so-called break points, within certain limits. Depending on the fragment mass and the fragment speed, targets of different strength are penetrated. Increasing the proportion of large fragments leads to a reduction in the number of fragments, and this in turn leads to a low fragment density. The fragment energy and fragment density must therefore be matched to the attack. When one whishes to attack semi-hard targets, the fragments must be of a certain size and must have a certain energy. If the fragment density is not sufficient, more ammunition is required to carry out the mission. Furthermore, only a certain proportion of the fragments are effective, because of the ballistic flight path of the projectiles, with inclined approach angle to the surface of the Earth. The effect against different targets necessitates different projectile descent angles.
Explosive projectiles are known, inter alia, from DE 602 02 419 T2, DE 601 08 817 T2, DE 20 2004 019 504 U1, DE 295 19 568 U1, DE 39 13 543 C1 and DE 196 26 660 C2.
The explosive projectile from DE 602 02 419 T2 has an explosive charge which is arranged in a casing. The casing has at least two sectors, with the first sector having means which ensure fragment formation. However, the second sector has no such means.
The explosive projectile according to DE 20 2004 019 504 U1 has an insensitive explosive charge within a projectile casing, and a concrete-breaking penetration head with an insensitive fuze.
Bomblets that are fired admittedly fall virtually vertically and are effective against semi-hard targets because they have a shaped charge on the end face, but the effectiveness of the side casing fragments is quite restrictive (DE 295 07 361U1). A large number of bomblets are therefore required for a high hit and attack probability (PS-DE 37 39 370). In practice bomblets therefore often have a low-cost fuze, which themselves have the disadvantage that they do not always detonate, thus resulting in unexploded munitions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,047 A discloses a fuze of complex design which is armed by the unfolded stabilization bands rotating a piercing unit from a safe position, thus releasing a firing capsule. During the process, a further safety pin is released, as a result of which the piercing unit is now pressed by a spring unit against the firing capsule, which has been moved under the piercing unit. This is assisted by balls which engage under a projection in the fuze housing. In the event of soft ground preventing the firing capsule from initiating, provision is made for a self-destruction mechanism to come into play, independently of the fall time and without delay after a defect of the primary initiation system. DE 100 40 800 A1 also deals with a bomblet fuze which has a safe setting, as a result of which no dangerous unexploded munitions occur.
DE 197 49 168 A1 describes a warhead for a rocket, with the object of requiring only a small number of munitions types to attack a relatively wide range of targets. The warhead proposed here is intended for attacking soft and semi-hard ground targets. As the payload the individual submunitions are in the form of disks and are provided on their end face with a fragment plate composed of preshaped fragments. After sufficient braking of the warhead, which is deployed to the target with the aid of a rocket, a warhead casing is then removed from the payload. In this case, the payload is still suspended on the braking parachute. On reaching a preselected height above the surface of the Earth a spin motor is initiated which accelerates the payload assembly to a specific rotation speed about the vertical longitudinal axis of the payload. The preselected height can be fixed in the design or can be selected as a function of the respective terrain. On reaching a second preselected height, a blocking mechanism is unlocked, as a result of which the submunitions leave the payload carrier at their respectively instantaneous tangential velocity.
Against this background, the invention is based on the object of providing a warhead, the number and effectiveness of which can be optimized for attacking different target types.